An evening together
by LauraFirebender
Summary: While Zuko and his daughter spend a time feeding the turtle ducks, he reflects on the amount of time he spends in political meetings and away from his family.-One Shot.


**Hey everybody! I can't believe I'm actually posting my first Maiko fanfic...  
No, my first fanfic! I have written other fanfics but never actually submit them...  
Anyway! This is just I little piece that I started imagining after looking at the several fanarts of Zuko and his daughter feeding the turtle-ducks. I hope you enjoy!**

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"Look daddy! I think this one likes me!"  
Zuko smiled as he saw his daughter feeding a little turtle-duck that got out of the water going after the bread in Aiko's hand. The turtle-duck mother approached squawking intimidatingly. Aiko* frowned a little.  
"Why is she doing that?"She said with curiosity.  
"Mothers are very protective with their children. If they so much as suspect someone will harm them they act like a fierce komodo rhino" He said imitating the animals groan. "Your grandmother taught me that."  
She chuckled.  
"And daddies?"  
"Same with daddies. But no one will ever harm you, my love."He said protectively. "Because, if they even try...well…"  
"You would knock them down with your firebending!" She said excitedly. "Because you are the best firebender in the world!"  
When she said something like that, he felt as if it was true.  
"I thought you were in a meeting" A raspy yet tender voice said in front of them.  
"Mom!" Aiko said excitedly greeting her mother "Daddy is teaching me how to feed the turtle-ducks! You want to learn?"  
Mai was standing at the entrance of the small garden. He hadn't seen her at all that day because of the meeting she was talking about. It hadn't been long but it started very early.  
"I managed to finish it quickly" He said as she approached. "I thought _you_ were at a reunion with the fire sages."  
"I managed to get rid of them quickly." She said dryly while she sat down next to their daughter. He smiled amused.  
Aiko gave her mother the last piece of bread she had and explained her the right way to feed it to the little animals. "You have to give it to them gently, or else, you would scare them."  
He watched as the two of them finished giving the bread, wishing that little moments like these happened more often. He tried to be with his family as much as he could, but the fire nation had not became easier to handle over the years, and now it was not only the fire nation he had to take care of, as he was also the founder of Republic City.

He felt he was absent. He felt that his daughter was growing too fast and he had not had time to enjoy enough time with her. He felt he spent too much time with Mai for political reasons and too little to be with her alone just for the pleasure of it. His worst fear was becoming like his father, and thought he had learned long time ago that he was not Ozai, he felt that he was getting close to be as absent as he was.

Sometimes he would share this fears with Mai.

"Don't be absurd Zuko." She said tenderly. "You love your daughter and she knows that. I know you spend as much time as you can with her. Don't be so hard with yourself." She gave him a thin smile and he could see that she wasn't completely sincere. She was an expert at hiding her true feelings but he knew her too well. She missed him. She hated that most of the day he had to be Firelord Zuko and not just Zuko, her Zuko. She hated those politicians who wouldn't leave him alone. She hated those meetings that left him so tired that as soon as he touched their bed, he'll fell asleep.  
_I would make it up to you _He thought, still looking at them as they now chatted. _When all of this meetings and discussions about how Republic City should be ruled I would spend more time with you, I swear it. _

"-Yes! I learned some new moves! Right daddy?"  
That brought him back to reality.  
"Hm? Oh yes love, you are amazingly talented, you have learned so quickly…"  
"I'm glad to hear that." Mai said hugging her and brought her mouth near Aiko's ear "but you should learn how to throw knives too, they are pretty useful."  
Zuko heard, and he chuckled.  
"Listen to your mom my love, she knows what she is talking about."  
"Throwing knives huh? That seems cool…"Aiko said grinning.  
"It is." Zuko and Mai said together and they smiled at each other.  
The sun was already setting in the west and he felt his stomach rumble. They headed back to the palace halls talking about knives and swords and laughing a little. They ate together like a family, and Zuko remembered his mother with her husband and their daughter. His own daughter was about the same age as Kiyi when he first met her. He had also failed at bringing his mother's family together with his own. Too busy attending business.  
When they had finished their food, Aiko yawned. Zuko and Mai accompanied her to her room, and kissed her goodnight. When they were both alone, she spoke.  
"Zuko, is something wrong?"  
He looked at her and sighed. Was he so obvious?  
"I…I wish there were more evenings like this, just the three of us."  
Her hand found his and she tangled their fingers.  
"I know." She sighed.  
He stroked her hand and they walked together like that to their room, when they had reached it and closed the door he spoke again.  
"Aiko spends more time with her master than with me." He said with sadness  
"You exaggerate." She rolled her eyes. "Zuko, these are just hard times. You didn't expect that founding a whole new nation will be easy did you?" She cupped his cheek with her hand.  
"No, but still, some of this politicians get into my nerves. Most of them. They keep asking for meetings and meetings. Taking my time away from you and Aiko. And for what? To request things that will obviously just benefit them." He said with disgust.  
"Then let's forget about them" She said sliding her arms around his waist. "Just for this night." She kissed him softly.  
He kissed her back and smiled against her lips.  
"I would like that." He said caressing her back. Maybe he could start with the "Making it up to her" thing, right now. "Then we shouldn't waste the rest of _this_ night."

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*******I thought Aiko would be the perfect name for Zuko and Mai's daughter. It means "Beloved child in Japanese :3  
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**Well... there it is! English is not actually my mother language... I'm latin american :3  
so please is you find grammar mistakes or something like that don't throw me hate! I did as best as I could! This is my first fanfic so reviews would be very, very, very appreciated! Please! tell me what you think :)**


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